New London Man Sentenced For Distributing Marijuana, Possessing Firearm

A 30-year old New London man was sentenced to over five years in prison Monday on charges of trafficking marijuana and illegally owning a firearm. The following information was provided by the Tom Carson of the Public Information Office of the United States Attorney's Office, District of Connecticut:

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Steven Duong, 30, of Lincoln Avenue, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 69 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for marijuana trafficking and possessing a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 30, 2009, during the execution of a search warrant at Duong’s residence, officers encountered Duong in his bedroom attempting to throw a loaded, .40 caliber pistol out of the window. During the search, officers also found marijuana, scales, heat sealing bags, drug ledgers and approximately $26,000 in cash. Duong’s residence also had a high-tech security system with closed-circuit television cameras focused on the front and rear doors of the house.

On February 3, 2011, Duong pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Today, Judge Bryant sentenced Duong to nine months of imprisonment for distributing marijuana, and a mandatory five-year consecutive prison term for possessing a firearm in conjunction with his marijuana trafficking activities.

This matter stems from “Operation New London Bloods,” a joint law enforcement investigation headed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”), in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Connecticut State Police, Norwich Police Department, Groton Town Police Department, New London Police Department, Waterford Police Department, and the State of Connecticut’s Department of Correction and Office of Adult Probation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah P. Karwan.